Are you a Content Curator?

A content curator is more than someone who re-posts links, quotes sources and aggregates content from feeds. A content curator uses their own passion for the topic to filter and give meaning to the content they select. They also add their own information and ideas to the updates.

I have worked as someone who collects content in several ways and methods: web directory editor, topic writer and group moderator. Each requires some aspects of content curating. Online content curators will not only present content but give it their own perspective and priorities. A content curator can shape public opinion with the choices they make, the content they choose to include or pass by.

The Economist: Meet the Curators
You might say that you don’t need to be a journalist to cobble together a list of links. But actually, given the huge proliferation of sources these days, you do. Being able to scan a vast range of material, determine what’s reliable, relevant and sufficiently objective, decide what will actually interest your particular readers and arrange it in a way that they can use are not trivial skills.

Social Media Today: Marketer, Media or Museum: The Content Curator

For Bloggers – A Cure for Writers Block
If you’ve thought about creating a blog but suffer from writer’s block, this concept is great news for you. You don’t necessarily have to become a star journalist overnight. Instead, start as a curator. Read all the blogs you can in your niche market, then sort and prioritize, hand-pick the best, and share them with your readers. A “Top 10 posts” on a particular topic makes a great blog post. Or, find a post that stands out for you and add your voice by sharing your reactions on your own blog (like I’m doing here!). Always link back to the original writer, of course, and invite feedback if you want to make it a dialog.

For Social Media Types – Sharing With Purpose
As a content curator, you don’t just share what seems interesting; you prune through the overload, find what’s most valuable to your audience, and share it – branded with your perspective. Make sure the content you’re sharing is consistent with the brand or image you want to convey — and that it feeds social media followers to related content on your blog or website. The idea is to share the right information at the right time, to the right people.

For Webmasters — Digital Assets That Drive Traffic and Conversions
A comprehensive content marketing strategy should have your company website at its center. A content curator will aggregate your company’s best digital assets for display, much like a museum curator creates a thoughtful exhibit to display historical or artistic artifacts.

Grow: Are Content Curators the power behind social media influence?
The Curators are the greatest consumers of content AND the greatest contributors—including sharing. That makes Curators a hub and the easiest users for marketers to reach. Curators, like me, are actively looking for information to share with others, and actively spreading the word. Content Curators are the best online friend a marketer could have!
In this new world, Curators become a commodity and they have value that will be sought after. Marketers will seek curators in specific topic areas and with specific traits. Marketers will want to know:

The topics this person curates. Curators specialize.

The networks and communities he/she curates to. Curators who are plugged into niche communities and forums may be even more valuable.

The number of connections on those networks. The volume or following always counts.

The types of connections the curator has. What’s the quantity of different types of social users following this curator: gamers, social butterflies, shoppers, deal seekers?

Reshare value. How many of this curator’s followers reshare the content, and how wide a net do they cast?

The click-through-rate for this curator’s content. How often do people open the items this curator shares?

The conversion rate resulting from this curator’s content. How often does a recommendation from this person generate sales? How often does a click through on a piece of content from this curator result in a sale?

Trainingwreck: Content Curators

The first skill or change to adapt to is to begin thinking this way from the beginning. As we all go about our day, and we inevitably come into contact with content, knowledge and wisdom that may benefit others, we need to begin thinking in a way that is selfless not selfish. We need to say to ourselves, “who may benefit from this as well?” Let’s think of this as the curate stage.

The second skill or change to adapt to concerns our ability to categorize and thus effectively store the knowledge somewhere. I liken this to an intricately interconnected network of universal personal content management systems. I’m not exactly clear how this can be accomplished, but think ‘dewey decimal system’ only individualized, personalized and capable of much more than surfacing links. It’s certainly supplementary and much more useful than Delicious or other bookmarking sites as well.

The final skill or change to adapt to is our ability to appropriately communicate the knowledge that has been curated and categorized itself. No, I’m not referring to email distribution lists. Whether through some digitally sewn quilt of RSS and other push-communication capabilities, the communication of this now categorized content is incredibly important.

Influential Marketing Blog: The Five Models of Content Curation
Aggregation – Aggregation is the act of curating the most relevant information about a particular topic into a single location. Often taking the form of catalog style blog posts which list “27 Great Resources For Small Business” (or similar aggregations), this is the most common form of content curation.

Distillation – Distillation is the act of curating information into a more simplistic format where only the most important or relevant ideas are shared. As a result, there may be quite a bit of additional content that is lost for the sake of simplicity – however the value comes from the fact that anyone digesting this content no longer has to contend with a high volume of content and can instead consume a more focused view of information.

Elevation – Elevation refers to curation with a mission of identifying a larger trend or insight from smaller daily musings posted online. Encompassing much of what many trend-focused websites do, this can be one of the hardest forms of content curation because it requires more expertise and analytical ability on the part of the person or organization during the curating. The benefit is that it can also be the most powerful in terms of sharing new ideas as well.

Mashup – Mashups are unique curated justapositions where merging existing content is used to create a new point of view. Taking multiple points of view on a particular issue and sharing it in a single location would be one example of this type of behaviour – and could be used to describe the sort of activity that takes place every day on Wikipedia. More broadly, mashups can offer a way of creating something new while still using content curation as a basis for it because you are building on existing content.

Chronology – Creating a Chronology is a form of curation that brings together historical information organized based on time to show an evolving understanding of a particular topic. Most useful when it comes to topics where understanding has shifted over time, this can be a powerful way of retelling history through informational artifacts that exist over time to prove how experiences and understandings have changed.

From a job posting for an Online Content Curator:

The ideal candidate:

is passionate about being part of the future web

has some tech background, including basic web development (but no serious dev chops required)

has the proven ability to write a snappy headline and coherent commentary – copy-writing experience a plus

is an online media consumer and is familiar with sites like Huffington Post and Daily Beast

adapts quickly to data and content management tools and interfaces

has some image editing experience

is moderately well-informed, from pop culture to global politics, from Kim Kardashian to Kim Jong Il

enjoys reading (and possibly writing) high-quality blogs

approaches repetitive tasks with “productive zen”

thinks about usability in a mobile context… and has an app for that

What Do Guys Read?

If you look at the fiction for boys and young men, there isn’t a lot to choose from. I noticed this years ago as my nephew (Zack) was growing up. Now Zack is almost 16. He reads books from the regular fiction. But, once in awhile he backtracks to something he read as a boy. He has a loyalty to the books he liked, he will read them again and again. So why are there so many more books for girls than boys?

I found a link to Guys Read in an older copy of Reader’s Digest.

Our mission is to motivate boys to read by connecting them with materials they will want to read, in ways they like to read.
1. Make some noise for boys.
We have literacy programs for adults and families. GUYS READ is our chance to call attention to boys’ literacy.

2. Expand our definition of reading.
Include boy-friendly nonfiction, humor, comics, graphic novels, action-adventure, magazines, websites, audiobooks, and newspapers in school reading. Let boys know that all these materials count as reading.

3. Give boys choice.
Motivate guys to want to read by letting them choose texts they will enjoy. Find out what they want. Let them choose from a new, wider range of reading.

4. Encourage male role models.
Men have to step up as role models of literacy. What we do is more important than all we might say.

5. Be realistic. Start small.
Boys aren’t believing that “Reading is wonderful.” Reading is often difficult and boring for them. Let’s start with “Here is one book/magazine/text you might like.”

6. Spread the GUYS READ word.
Encourage people to use the information and downloads on this site to set up their own chapters of GUYS READ, and get people thinking about boys and reading.

On the site they have a list of genres and types of books guys might read: Scary, War, How to build stuff, At least one explosion, Action/ adventure, outer space, but with aliens, Cars, trucks, etc., Mysterious occurrences, Ghosts, Monkeys and/or apes, People being transformed into animals, Outer space but without aliens, and Books for little guys which is probably the same list just a different shape of book.

What would you write for boys or young men? Think of a plot and characters that would appeal to them.

Guest Post: Opening the Door to More Creativity In Your Writing

From Bev Walton-Porter at her blog, Elemental Musings.

When did you first realize you’d lost your child-like sense of creativity? More important, how long did it take you to regain it? When you did regain a sense of creativity, how much were you able to retrieve? Since most of you are active writers, and the rest are probably “closet” writers, it may be safe to say that you’ve reclaimed more of your creativity than the average person on the street. Unless that person happens to be working in another of the artistic disciplines, such as art, dance, music, etc. However, although you have reclaimed a large portion of your creativity from the clutches of left-brained, linear society, you still may have a long way to go in cultivating and expanding your bountiful booty of poetic beauty.

Let’s start at the beginning. Do you recall any times when your creative side was actively stunted by the admonitions of an authority figure? Perhaps a teacher or a parent. Now, I’m not bashing parents or teachers in general because both have played a part in my development as a writer, but often it’s some sort of authority/adult figure who first quashes our urge to create something new and untried. Children are incredibly imaginative and, if left alone, come up with some perfectly brilliant ideas. But once they begin school, grow up and enter the daily grind of the workforce, their one-brilliant ideas become muted in an attempt to fit in with the set boundaries of society. Some children are determined not to let go of their creativity, and so they pursue artistic disciplines with tenacity. The majority, however, are urged to spend their education dollars on more “valuable, worthwhile” pursuits such as law, medicine, and business to name a few. These are thought as more reliable disciplines of vocation. Somewhere along the way, Liberal Arts became dirty words — something a student majored in until he or she “found his true calling.” But what if the student’s “true calling” always resided in the arts?

I don’t know when you discovered yourself as a writer or even began to label yourself as one (which, I might add, can become a very stressful thing indeed — the first question is always, “Oh, really? How many BOOKS have you had published?”) but for myself, although I’d written all through school, I didn’t begin to identify myself as A WRITER until after I was married and had my first child. Perhaps I knew that deep inside I’d always been a writer, but I dared not expose that truth for fear of criticism.

It’s amazing to me that a golfer is one who golfs — not merely one who is a member of the PGA. An average Joe who seeks out the golf course on most weekends and some weekdays is known as an “avid golfer.” But those who seek out the pen or computer keyboard are known as “aspiring writers.” Why? To BE a writer, you WRITE — plain and simple. If you golf, you are a golfer. You are NOT known as an “aspiring golfer.” Why the distinction? It’s perception, my friends. Writing is perceived as the domain of the highly intelligent and naturally talented. Natural talent does help, but it does not make a writer. To write, one must WRITE. As far as intelligence, I don’t buy that, either. Writers are MADE, not simply born. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you do not mix that God-given talent with discipline and perseverance, it doesn’t matter one whit.

So, step one. To OPEN the door to more creativity in your writing, you must first WRITE. Go ahead and read your books on writing, attend conferences and join writers’ groups, but do not forget the main ingredient — the writing itself! And when I urge you to write, I urge you to write with heart, not merely with one hand on Strunk and White and the other on your pen. Put good ole S & W away for a bit and loosen the noose of your internal editor. Don’t be afraid to write drivel. Don’t be afraid to mess up the page. Don’t be fearful of what you’ll produce if you simply sit down and begin to write without prior preparation and cerebral primping. This is where the root of all creativity starts! You can grab your handy dandy style and editing manuals later, my friends. For now, OPEN the door to that innate sense of word imagery and creation by allowing your mind to swirl around pictures and symbols and channel them down into your hand and out through your fingers. Go ahead, try it — you won’t hurt yourself, I promise! 🙂

Step two — READ. Some writers claim they don’t read when they’re writing because it interferes with the work in progress. As I’ve heard time and time again, you must FILL the bucket before emptying it. Okay, so you’re penning a fiction book in a specific genre — romance, horror, science fiction, etc. You aren’t limited to the same genre you’re working on — in fact, it probably will do you better to read works from other genres. You never know what you might discover — what might spark an idea which will translate into your current WIP (work in progress). If you write non-fiction, read some poetry. There are ways to spice up your non-fiction pieces and still keep them non-fiction. You’ve got all the information you must report to your reader, but the success of the end product all comes down to the delivery!

Step three — EXPLORE. And by that, I mean explore other artistic disciplines, either literally or vicariously. In order to nurture and grow your creativity to its greatest height, you must feed your Muse with art, literature, music, dance and culture of every kind. Visit a museum, take a hike alone in the mountains, take in a play or simply watch your local arts channel on cable if you have to. Do you have an art fair that visits your city every year? Have you ever graced its entrances? If not, give it some thought. Creativity does not thrive in a vacuum. Since you’re connected to the Internet, you have a prime opportunity to check out loads of images from museums all around the world — all from the comfort of your home! I recently discovered a site devoted to an artist whose works strike a strange, discomforting chord in me — Salvador Dali. Something about his work resonates and even sends me a bit off kilter. Another artist, Norwegian Edvard Munch, created a work entitled “The Scream.” This piece of work is disturbing, but remains entrancing in its own way. On a deeper level, it connects with the darker side of my Inner Artist.

In order to prepare the foundation to support your growing creativity, you must WRITE more, READ more and EXPLORE more. WRITE without boundaries — realize you won’t always create a masterpiece, but in order to fashion a magnificent gem you must first chip away the impurities. READ across literary lines — it is imperative to know your genre and intended market, but your education shouldn’t stop there. The more variety of works you read, the more fertile your imagination will become. EXPLORE beyond your artistic limitations — don’t fence yourself in by concentrating solely on the written word. Discovery of other mediums of expression heightens your sensitivity and expands your awareness. The end result will translate into a deeper, more complex side to your writing.

Step gently into the waters of experimentation in an effort to tap into your hidden creative core. As writers, often our perceived boundaries are fortified most diligently by our own selves. Break free from misconceptions and years of useless admonitions. Allow your mind to roam. And wherever it takes you, come along for the ride willingly. The destination will be well worth the strange, wonderful trip.

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Bev Sninchak (writing as Bev Walton-Porter and Star Ferris) is a professional author and editor who has published hundreds of stories on a wide variety of subjects. She’s also written four books: “Sun Signs for Writers,” “Mending Fences,” “Hidden Fire” and “The Complete Writer: A Guide to Tapping Your Full Potential,” co-authored with three other writers. She has edited and published the award-winning e-zine for writers, Scribe & Quill, for the past 13 years. She is a member of The Authors Guild and is represented by the Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency in NYC and MPL Creative Services of Springfield, MO.

Please visit her websites at: http://www.bevwaltonporter.com and http://editrix.homestead.com

Guest Post: Creative Karma

From Bev Walton-Porter at her blog, Elemental Musings.

Creative Karma – Do You Have It?

In the writing life, there are certain intangibles you can’t explain to other writers until they’ve experienced it for themselves. One of those intangibles of the writing life is what I call creative karma. Simply put, creative karma means what you give out, you’ll get back. Giving support and encouragement to other writers will eventually return to you in kind. Publishing is a tough business for writers, so we need to stick together. Back-biting and unhealthy, cut-throat competition doesn’t help the writing community, it only hinders it. Eschewing negativity and using our energies together for the greater good is a win-win situation for everybody.

How can you increase your positive creative karma? Here are five ways to get started!

1. Celebrate others’ successes

Success and accomplishment is good for everyone. It also tends to rub off on others, too! Remember that being a writer isn’t about competing with others; it’s more about competing with yourself. Spread good cheer and encouragement by hailing others’ successes – like selling a first book or getting an agent – and remember that if you haven’t hit your stride yet or haven’t inked your first contract, it’s good to be gracious to others. When your time comes, you’ll find those same writing colleagues will be there to help congratulate and celebrate with you as well.

2. Teach what you know.

You won’t ever know everything about the writing business, but chances are you know something already. Even if you’ve only got a short amount of time under your belt, your trials and tribulations in the publishing industry can help others avoid the same pitfalls. Learned some dos and don’ts about query writing? Discovered a terrific critique group or message board? Found a way to be more productive during your writing day? This information – and more – can be valuable to writers who are just starting out in the craft. Write blog articles or share e-mails with your writing buddies about these things. It’s an easy way to give to others a gift of the knowledge you’ve gained thus far so they won’t make the same mistakes.

3. Share job opportunities.

One of the hardest things to learn as a writer of any kind is where to find writing opportunities or freelance gigs. Do a good deed every day by sharing newly discovered job leads and publishing guidelines with other writers – especially new ones. It may be tempting to keep the information to yourself, but remember that the more you give out, the more you’ll get.

4. Swap resources.

This is along the same lines as sharing job opportunities (above). Got a great lead on a new writers’ resource that’s chock-full of articles, how-to’s and tips? Forward the information to your writing buddies. Got a line on a new imprint for a publisher? Let them in on the tip and guidelines. Know of a new market database? Tell all your writer friends about it. Keep valuable information circulating and your writing network will stay vibrant, healthy and up-to-date!

5. Be a matchmaker.

Introduce the people you know to each other – writers, agents, editors, publishers, readers – so you can help them get in contact with others who may help them find the information they need to move forward on their respective paths to publication and writing success. Networking is a must when it comes to the publishing industry, so take note of your colleagues’ special qualities and play a combination of matchmaker/muse for them.

Keeping good creative karma flowing is one way to do unto others in your writing circle and in your profession. In the publishing business, no one should make a go of it alone – there are too many precarious potholes and dangerous detours to navigate. Offering a helping hand to others builds bridges that won’t be forgotten. In the end, make contact with others and share information you know will reap positive rewards not just for yourself, but for many others as well.

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Please visit her websites at: http://www.bevwaltonporter.com and http://editrix.homestead.com

What is Crowdsource?

What is crowdsource? It’s a project which outsources work to random groups of people, often on the Internet. How could you use the crowdsource idea for your own work or site?

From Wikipedia:

Crowdsourcing is the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to a large group of people or community (a crowd), through an open call.

For example, the public may be invited to develop a new technology, carry out a design task (also known as community-based design[1] and distributed participatory design), refine or carry out the steps of an algorithm (see human-based computation), or help capture, systematize or analyze large amounts of data (see also citizen science).

The term has become popular with businesses, authors, and journalists as shorthand for the trend of leveraging the mass collaboration enabled by Web 2.0 technologies to achieve business goals. However, both the term and its underlying business models have attracted controversy and criticisms.

Cambrian House – A crowdsourcing community. Helping others successfully adopt crowdsourcing.
The Daily Crowdsource – News, trends, reviews websites and services. Also offers crowdsourcing resources and guides.
Crowdsource Placemaking – The social network for crowdsourcing cool places.
Bloomberg Business Week: Crowdsourcing – What it Means for Innovation
CBC: Crowdsourcing

Wiki List of Crowdsourcing Projects

Black Backgrounds Have Glare

One more reason not to use a black background on a website or blog… Glare!

I have a new monitor, one that stretches wider than it is tall. It is also shiny for some reason. The one that came with this computer was not shiny but this one is. Anyway, I find websites and blogs which use a black (or very dark) background are pretty hard to read. I get glare which I have to bob my head around to try to read through. Most of the time I just end up skimming to see if I really want to try reading anything.

So, now you know. Black is not the best choice for a background colour, for yet another reason.